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LinkedInPosts Tagged: prey
What's on the Menu for a Mantis?
A green bottle fly lands on a tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, in a Vacaville pollinator garden. Houston, we have landed! The fly, Lucilia sericata, begins to sip the nectar, unaware that a hungry praying mantis, a Stagmomantis limbata (as confirmed by mantis...
A green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) forages on milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, on Aug. 20 in a Vacaville pollinator garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, sneaks closer to its prey, an unsuspecting green bottle fly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
In a split second, the praying mantis, Stagmomantis limbata, nails its prey, an unsuspecting green bottle fly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Dinner is served: Fly à la carte. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Tough Day for a Tettigoniid on a Tithonia
It was a tough day for a Tettigoniid on a Tithonia. When a katydid (Tettigoniid) encountered a crab spider on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, in our garden, the katydid didn't last long. The spider administered a venomous bite and it was all over. The small,...
A crab spider administers a fatal bite on a katydid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The crab spider drags its prey to the edge of the Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The crab spider, hidden from the world around it, consumes the katydid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Crab Spider and a Bee
Oh, the patience of a crab spider. It lies in wait on the Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola, in the hot sun. It scuttles back and forth, extending its legs. It's an ambush predator, ready to inject venom. But it seems as if all the bees got the memo: "Crab spider! Beware! Don't buzz it!...
A crab spider on a Mexican sunflower is ready to ambush prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The crab spider scuttles back and forth. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee, seeking nectar and pollen, lands on the Mexican sunflower, unaware of the predator. It quickly buzzed off. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
No 'Assassination' Today!
No assassinations today! But an "assassination attempt." There it was, a leafhopper assassin bug, Zelus renardii, waiting for prey atop a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola in a Vacaville pollinator garden. Yes, it's native to North America. The assassin bugs, family...
An assassin bug, Zelus renardii,waits to ambush prey on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A longhorned bee arrives for some nectar while the assassin bug watches in apparent anticipation. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The longhorned bee leaves only its shadow behind. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
This assassin bug had more luck--or better ambushing skills. It nails a pest, a spotted cucumber beetle. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
This Spider Went for Plan Bee
The spider failed to snag a butterfly, so it went for Plan Bee. That would be the honey bee, Apis mellifera. The bee is usually foraging for nectar and pollen and not that aware of her surroundings, especially a cunning and very hungry spider. So this orbweaver lies in wait for prey to...
A spider executes Plan Bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
